Smyrna times., 1887-05-18
Hon. John M. Clayton.

wilmington last Wednesday, to hear
Chief Justice COmegys' Grafton on the
life and services Of John NJ. Clayton,
was one Of the most notable ever held
in that city. Upon the platform were
seated Governor Biggs, ex-Attorney-
General Benjamin Harris Brewster,
Senator George Gray, Charles B. Lore,
Esq. b. b. COmegys, of Philadelphia,
brother of the Chief Justice; Judges
John w. Houston and John II. PayD-
ter and other well-known Della
wareans.
Chief Justice COmegys, who was in
troduced by DR.. IL. G.. Snitcher. smoke
IN strong, firm tone for nearly two
hours, and had the undivided attention
OF his audience throughout. We give
brief synopsis of his speech below:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Ancient Order of United WorkDlen-
Ladies and Gentlemen What has
been to me for long time very dis
heartening fact is the apparent want of
interest by the present generation of
men in our State in the life, character
and services of the distinguished Della
Wareans who are no longer living.
Most persons in Delaware, and great
many elsewhere, have heard or read
something about Johu NJ. CLAYTON: but
how he appeared, what manner of man
he was, what he did for his nation and
State, most of them are mainly ignor-
ant John NJ. Clayton was born on
the 24th day OfJuly, 1896, at Dagsbor-
Ough, in the county of Sussex. where
his father, James Clayton, brother of
the first Governor under the constitu
ton of 1892, and uncle of the first
Chief Justice under the constitution of
1881, resided. As soon as his age
would allow, yOdng Clayton was taken
by his father 20 Connecticut and placed
IN a preparatory school at Fairfield.
He graduated from Yale in 1915 with
highest honOrs. He entered the Office
OF his kinsman, Thomas Clayton, and
afterwards attended the Law School at
Litchfield, Conn. lie was admitted TO
the bar at Georgetown, Del, at the
October term, 1878.
" His father died at Milford soon
after John had opened his Office at
Dover. He studied and wlrkcl with
a capacity fOr labor and ability to en-
dure the strain which would
have broken down most men. But
necessity drove him onward and soon
rewarded him with place in his pro-
tesslOn and in the affection of the Deo-
pie, which all agree has never been ex-
celled, if equaled, by that of any other
citizen.
He was once retained by the Aboli-
ton Society of Philadelphia to assist
our then able AttOrney-General, James
Rogers, to prosecute Il notorious kid
napper at the Sussex court. Full as
the court room was Of the friends and
accomplices of Johnson, the prisoner.
so powerful was Clayton's speech for
conviction that the prisoner was
adjudgtd guilty.
" Having an unfailing memory and
entire possession Of all the facts his
thorough examination of the witnesses
could give him, and knowing bv his
previous study what the law was. he
stood up for his client fully euuiped to
try his case. He had large. hand
some figure with a countenance ex-
presslve as well of kindness of heart as
OF deep thought; refined but plain
dlctlon, very tervent and very persua-
slVe in its tones and unlimited mower
of illustration.
He first took an active part in Doli-
tics as FederaliSt i'm 1921. He was a
strong opponent of the Spoils system.
He was clerk of both houses of the
Legislature. In the disruption of the
Federalist party he allied himself with
the Adams interest, working zealOuslv
for his reelection in 1928, when Jack
son was elected lie soon became a
State leader of the Whig party. and
while he guarded its fortunes it never
was defeated hut once. in 1882. but the
lost ground was more than recovered in
the next campaign.
The Adams party having the Leg
lslature, Clayton was elected TO the
Senate of the United States for six
years from the 4th day of March, 1929.
lie was very young man for such q
place, the Senate being at that time. as
1t has always been, composed of men
advanced in life and of the highest in
tellectual ability. But though less
than 33 years old, he soon showed that
he meant to be a man of action by in
Producing and securing the passage of
a resolution for special committee to
investigate the management of the Post
Office Department, which resulted in
exposing to the public the gross cOrrup-
tiOns which in SO short time had
crept into that department. BY the
time the investigation was ended the
Senate had seen enough of Clayton to
hold him in the highest esteem a. a
man of great ability and as possessing
extraordinary power in debate.
At the first session after ClaytOn's
election, the great debate on Foote'S
resolution occurred in the Senate. Into
this debate Clayton entered an deliver
ed speech which will not suffer by
comparison with any delivered upon
that memorable occasion in which
Webster and Hayne took such a con-
spicuous part.
Henry Clay, who was the great
champion of protection, seemed 70 be
unequal to the emergency which arose
in the Senate in 1888 when he strOve to
secure the passage of his tariff act.
Clayton took the matter in hand, and
so skillfully did he enact the part he
had assumed that the course adopted
ended all danger of strife between
South Carolina and the national gov
ernment. for the time being at least.
In 1880 u State Constitutional Con-
ventiOn had been voted and met in
Dover on November Sth, 1881. 1t was
composed of thirty men, the most
prominent of whom were Judge Will
lard Hall, James Rogers, George Read
Jr., OF New Castle county and John M.
Clayton, of Kent. The latter was the
youngest, but soon proved himself the
equal of the others and their superior
in influence with the convention.
The new constitution was said, at
at the time, to be his that is the new
features of it. He was never charged
with having said he had locked the door
of the Constitution and thrOlOn the ken
GiUGy. No man not an idiot would ever
make a speeck like that, and no candid
man of good sense repeats such a
charge except dOubtingly.
"Clayton resigned the SenatOrship in
January, 1885, but it was not excepted
and he was elected for another full
term. His wife, to whom he was de-
VOtedly attached, had died recently.
Clayton was the only man in Dover
who subscribed to a daily paper in 1885,
Late in the fall of 1886 Clayton resign
ed his position as Senator, determined
to return to private life. Thomas
Clayton, then Chief Justice, was ap-
pointed to succeed him, and John M.
Clayton was appointed Chief Justice, n
position he filled with great ability un-
/ ffI 1000 wrba,, 20 v.ogi 90, al o.DI